Stressed?
How stressed am I?
WE COMPLETELY MISSED A CHRISTMAS PARTY because I had the wrong day firmly set in my head AND had even written it on the wrong date on my calendar. Unbelievable. I never miss anything fun. I was sure the party was Saturday night. But when I pulled out the invitation to check the time, I saw it had been Friday night. I'm so thankful I didn't know the time. Imagine showing up at Neighbor-You-Don't-Know-Too-Well-On-The-Next-Street's house the night after.
I just mailed off a We're-Sorry-We-Missed-It Christmas card. And I still feel pretty stupid.
This kind of stress is something we can apply to our characters. Something happens, and the character is pulled in all directions, stressed to the max. Maybe there's lots of things going on in her life. She stumbles over a body on her front sidewalk at night coming home from the hospital where her mother is on death's door. She opens her door, and her little Maltipoo runs out into the street, barely escaping the wheels of a passing car, and into park on the other side. Pile it all on and then have her do something totally out of the ordinary.
I hope your day is less stress-filled than the past month or so of mine have been.
WE COMPLETELY MISSED A CHRISTMAS PARTY because I had the wrong day firmly set in my head AND had even written it on the wrong date on my calendar. Unbelievable. I never miss anything fun. I was sure the party was Saturday night. But when I pulled out the invitation to check the time, I saw it had been Friday night. I'm so thankful I didn't know the time. Imagine showing up at Neighbor-You-Don't-Know-Too-Well-On-The-Next-Street's house the night after.
I just mailed off a We're-Sorry-We-Missed-It Christmas card. And I still feel pretty stupid.
This kind of stress is something we can apply to our characters. Something happens, and the character is pulled in all directions, stressed to the max. Maybe there's lots of things going on in her life. She stumbles over a body on her front sidewalk at night coming home from the hospital where her mother is on death's door. She opens her door, and her little Maltipoo runs out into the street, barely escaping the wheels of a passing car, and into park on the other side. Pile it all on and then have her do something totally out of the ordinary.
I hope your day is less stress-filled than the past month or so of mine have been.
Comments
Elspeth
By the way----
check out the VBT Writers on the Move blog today. I won an opportunity to be profiled on their site and it appears today:
http://vbt-writersonthemove.blogspot.com/2009/12/arlee-bird-and-desert-place.html
Lee
Arlee - You're right - this time of year is like a rollercoaster. Thanks for including the link to your VBT post. You've led an interesting life.
Book Dilettante - It's nice to know I'm not alone.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Helen - At least fifteen. You'd think at least one of them would involve a bar.
Jane - I'm glad to know someone else does it, too!
Best Regards, Galen.
Imagineering Fiction Blog
A friend of mine once went into the opera in her fine dress and jewelry and then looked down at her feet. She still had her slippers on, the ones with the bunny ears!
Laura - I'm trying that advice today. Tomorrow I have to zoom into high gear again.
Conda - Thanks. You can laugh about your keys now, right? I'm sure I'll get mileage out of the party story later.
Angela - Funny about your friend's bunny slippers. But I can now fully appreciate how she felt. I think early would be as bad as late.
Thanks for sharing this and I'm sorry you missed the gathering.